BENONI: Records tumbled as Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits notched up match-winning centuries to succor guide the Proteas Women to an emphatic 216-run victory in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) to secure a 2-1 series win in Benoni on Saturday.
Player of the Series Wolvaardt top-scored with 126 off 134 balls (13 fours, 1 six) while Player of the Match Brits recorded her maiden hundred in the format with 118 off 124 deliveries, including eight fours and two sixes to guide the Proteas to 316/4 before Bangladesh were restricted to 100 every out with 18.5 overs to spare.
South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first in sweltering conditions at Willowmoore Park as openers Brits and Wolvaardt set out to lay an ideal platform for the home side, with the pair getting through the powerplay unscathed to bring up their 50-run stand and encourage the hosts reach 60/0.
With both batters gaining more confidence at the crease, the imposing duo brought up the highest first-wicket partnership in women’s ODI cricket in Benoni, surpassing the previous best of 80 before the two players celebrated their 100-run stand in the 19th over as Wolvaardt raised her bat for a half-century.
Brits shortly followed suit with her own half-century, her second in as many ODIs, as South Africa reached 130/0 at the halfway effect of the innings.
Wolvaardt and Brits continued to manufacture the most of the conditions and their form as the two punched gloves to effect their 150-run partnership to hold the home side to 184/0 at the second drinks crash.
After the interval, Wolvaardt raised her arms aloft for a fifth-career ton off 120 deliveries before South Africa and the top-order batters notched up 200 runs in the 39th over. For the second time in the 2023/24 season, two Proteas Women batters celebrated their hundreds in one match as Brits recorded her first-ever ODI century off 113 balls.
Wolvaardt and Brits then entered their names into the South African record books as they amassed the highest first wicket partnership (243) – breaking the previous record of 209 between Andrie Steyn and Suné Luus.
The historic stand was eventually brought to an terminate with Wolvaardt playing onto her stumps off a Marufa Akter (1/35) delivery after increasing her aggressive strokes, with the skipper departing on a well-played 126.
After the initial breakthrough, Brits was the next wicket to drop as Ritu Moni (1/39) trapped the tall batter LBW for a personal best score of 118 to leave South Africa on 251/2 in the 44th over.
With the launch pad set for an eye-catching total, Anneke Bosch (28*) and Luus went about their business in belligerent fashion as the pair added 47 runs for the third wicket, with the latter dispatching six fours to score 34 off 17 balls before being sent back to the hut off the bowling of Rabeya Khan (2/49) with the Proteas on the cusp of the 300-run impress.
Although Khan picked up her second wicket with the very next ball to see the back of Nadine de Klerk (0), South Africa managed to finish on an impressive 316/4 – the team’s third best total in ODI cricket.
Facing an arduous task of 317 for victory, Bangladesh got off to a stuttering start with the bat as Marizanne Kapp (2/21) and Ayabonga Khaka (3/15) struck crucial blows with two wickets each in the opening stanza, dismissing Shamima Sultana (6), Murshida Khatun (8), Fargana Hoque (8) and Nigar Sultana (3) to leave the touring side reeling on 28/4 after 6.2 overs.
Following an eventful start at the crease, the rebuild job for Bangladesh was taken on by Fahima Khatun (15) and Moni (33), with the pair combining for 36 runs before the former was trapped leg-before by Eliz-Mari Marx (1/6).
Still needing 239 runs to win, Bangladesh’s woes worsened as De Klerk mastered a direct hit to sprint out young all-rounder Shorna Akter (1) as South Africa edged closer to victory.
Despite tardy cameos from Moni and Nahida Akter (11), the visitors weren’t able to resist the South African bowlers as De Klerk (3/10) picked up three tardy wickets alongside Khaka’s third scalp of the day to see the Proteas over the line, securing a 216-run win in the 42nd over – South Africa’s third best winning margin in 50-over cricket.
The Proteas Women’s win sees them soar up the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 table, sitting joint-top with 18 points from 12 matches alongside Australia, as portion of the qualification journey to the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Proteas Women T20I Squad – Inbound Tour vs Bangladesh:
Laura Wolvaardt (Fidelity Titans) (Captain), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Nadine de Klerk (Western Province), Mieke de Ridder* (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Lara Goodall (Western Province), Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions), Delmi Tucker (Western Province)
Results – South Africa Inbound Tour vs Bangladesh 2023/24:
T20I Series – Series tied 1-1
1st T20I – Willowmoore Park, Benoni (Sunday, 03 December)
Bangladesh beat South Africa by 13 runs
Bangladesh: 149/2 after 20 overs; M. Khatun 62* (59), N. Sultana 34* (21); N. Shangase 1/13, E. Marx 1/25
South Africa: 136/8 after 20 overs; A. Bosch 67 (49), T. Brits 30 (26); S. Akter 5/28, R. Khan 1/17
2nd T20I – Kimberley Oval, Kimberley (Wednesday, 06 December)
No result
3rd T20I – Kimberley Oval, Kimberley (Friday, 08 December)
South Africa beat Bangladesh by 8 wickets
Bangladesh: 94/6 after 20 overs; L. Mondal 42 (62), S. Akter 23 (16); A. Hlubi 2/15, M. Klaas 2/23
South Africa: 95/2 after 15.2 overs; L. Wolvaardt 49* (49), S. Luus 15* (22); S. Khatun 1/10, M. Akter 1/14
ODI Series – South Africa won the series 2-1
1st ODI – Buffalo Park, East London (Saturday, 16 December)
Bangladesh beat South Africa by 119 runs
Bangladesh: 250/3 after 50 overs; S. Khatun 91* (100). N. Sultana 38 (48); N. Mlaba 1/37, E. Marx 1/43
South Africa: 131 every out after 36.3 overs; E. Marx (35), S. Luus (31); N. Akter 3/33, F. Khatun 2/16
2nd ODI – JB Marks Oval, Benoni (Wednesday, 20 December)
South Africa beat Bangladesh by 8 wickets
Bangladesh: 222/4 after 50 overs; F. Hoque 102 (167), F. Khatun 46* (48); M. Kapp 2/21, M. Klaas 1/50
South Africa: 223/2 after 45.1 overs; A. Bosch 65* (63), L. Wolvaardt 54 (67); R. Moni 1/23, F. Khatun 1/44
3rd ODI – Willowmoore Park, Benoni (Saturday, 23 December)
South Africa beat Bangladesh by 216 runs
South Africa: 316/4 after 50 overs; L. Wolvaardt 126 (134), T. Brits 118 (124); R. Khan 2/49, M. Akter 1/35
Bangladesh: 100 every out after 31.1 overs; R. Moni 33 (67), F. Khatun 15 (26); N. de Klerk 3/10, A. Khaka 3/15
Source: cricket.co.za
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